Krista understood where Riley was coming from—how could she not?
The Grand Duke himself had sent a letter regarding a possible change in Riley and Liyana's engagent.
A polite, carefully worded proposal that broached the idea of expanding the relationship into a more... flexible structure.
Harem-like, to put it bluntly. It had been respectful, yes. Courteous even.
The Grand Duke hadn't demanded anything—he rely opened a door.
But Krista had shut that letter the mont she finished reading it, her chest tightening with a heavy, hollow weight.
She knew Riley.
She knew how much he had changed. He wasn't the soft-spoken child who used to trail behind her skirts anymore.
He had grown—no, blossod—into sothing far greater than she ever anticipated.
Every letter from the capital, every report from the academy, every rumor whispered in the ballroom all sang praises of her son.
"Prodigy."
"Genius."
"A political storm waiting to happen."
He had surpassed all her expectations, even the ones she didn't dare speak aloud.
And yet, despite that… the sense of unease clung to her like a cold mist.
Sothing about the path he was on felt so far from the quiet, thoughtful boy she once raised.
So far from the future she envisioned for him—a steady, noble life built on mutual love and respect, like the one she herself had lived with her husband.
"I wonder what I lacked in raising him properly?"
The words slipped out in a quiet murmur. A mont of raw vulnerability.
But before her thoughts could spiral any further, a voice cut through the silence.
"Mom!?"
Krista turned around, surprised.
Standing at the entrance of the hallway was her only daughter and youngest child—Reina Hell, Riley's little sister.
The girl had clearly just returned from her usual training session, dressed in an oversized, baggy training outfit that practically swallowed her fra.
A thick fur-lined coat rested over her shoulders, and a sheathed sword clinked softly against her hip as she stepped forward, brushing snowflakes from her dark bangs.
"Oh Reina... is your training with your father over already?"
Reina sighed and gave a small shrug.
"Sort of. It wasn't really training this ti. More like an evaluated test from both the geezer and Dad."
Krista raised a brow.
"Evaluated test?"
"Yeah, sothing of that sort... I beat him up easily~" Reina said as she stepped closer, glancing around. "Hey… where are the servants?"
"Ah, I asked them to handle their duties in the western wing for today. I just wanted so ti to think."
Reina blinked. "You cleared out the whole eastern side of the house just to be alone?"
Krista let out a breath and smiled, the kind that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Fufu~ Maybe that was a little excessive…"
She chuckled softly, though the laughter was light and short-lived.
In truth, she had wanted the entire estate emptied, just for a few hours of silence.
But of course, even she couldn't abandon her responsibilities as countess for the entire day.
Krista looked at Reina more clearly now, her gaze softening as she took in the young woman her daughter had beco. Internally, she nodded to herself.
Yes… Reina had changed too.
Not as drastically or unpredictably as Riley—no, her transformation had followed a more expected, natural rhythm.
Where Riley had gone from a reserved boy to a storm of ambition and emotion too quickly for her to keep up with, Reina's growth was steady, visible, almost comforting in comparison.
She had always been sharp, a little blunt, and endlessly curious—but there was more control in her now, more thought behind her words and movents.
Still, Reina was perceptive.
Too perceptive, sotis.
Reina tilted her head and looked at her mother closely, narrowing her eyes at the faint shadow of fatigue behind Krista's carefully composed expression.
"Is sothing wrong, Mom?"
Krista blinked, then shook her head gently.
"Hm? No, not at all, my dear."
Reina gave her an unimpressed look.
"Lying really isn't your thing, you know. Also, you were pacing around this hallway like a ghost just a little while ago."
"Fufu~ Your way of speaking really could use so refinent, dear. Perhaps I should personally give you a refresher in etiquette before you return to the academy—two weeks should be enough to remind you of your manners."
Reina flinched.
"Ehck?! That's unfair! I'm just speaking normally though…"
Krista giggled at her daughter's exaggerated reaction.
"Relax, dear. I was only joking."
"…..You really need to add so warning signs or dramatic flair when you're joking, Mom. It's hard to tell when you're serious."
Krista smiled at that, warm and amused. Reina's honesty, her refusal to hide behind courtesy—it reminded her a little too much of Riley, though it manifested in very different ways.
Then Reina's expression sobered.
"Anyway, what's up? I an it—sothing is bothering you, right?"
Krista paused for a mont.
She considered deflecting again, brushing the matter aside, but she knew Reina.
If she didn't tell her now, she'd only find out later—perhaps at a worse ti, or in a worse way.
Reina may not have Riley's flair for chaos, but she had her own fire.
She'd co charging in the mont things fell apart, and Krista wasn't sure she wanted her daughter in the middle of all that uncertainty.
They both attended the sa academy.
Reina had to know sothing about her brother's current... complications.
Krista exhaled slowly and said, "It's about your brother…"
"What about big bro?"
There was a slight hesitation before Krista responded, her voice soft.
"It's about his complicated relationships."
There was a beat of silence, followed by Reina's quiet, unsurprised response:
"Ah…"
Her eyes lowered for a mont, her lips pressing into a thin line. And then she nodded—slowly, deliberately—as if she already understood more than Krista expected.
"Yeah," Reina murmured. "I figured sothing was going on…"
Krista looked at her daughter, surprised by how calm she was.
"You knew?" Krista asked softly.
Reina gave a small shrug, her expression a mix of resignation and irritation.
"I had a feeling. It's kind of hard not to notice."
She sighed and crossed her arms.
"I an, Dad and Gramp's were both acting really jumpy just a while ago—asking about Big Bro nonstop, pretending it was just casual talk, but they were clearly fishing for sothing. And don't forget, I've been giving you monthly reports about him for ages now, rember?"
Krista's eyes widened slightly at that, but Reina continued, her voice growing sharper.
"I've been watching, Mom. Everyone at the academy has. You can't exactly miss Riley. His presence is... loud. Even when he disappears, people start whispering like he's so ghost prince sneaking out to et a lover or wage secret battles. And the rumors?"
She scoffed.
"They're ridiculous. Absurd, even. But they're also nonstop. It's like every ti I walk through the halls, soone's talking about him sleeping with so girl—sotis multiple girls—in the most dramatic ways possible. Trust , I've heard things that would make even Gramp's faint."
Krista winced.
"Reina—"
"I know, I know, they're just rumors," Reina cut in, her tone softening a little. "And honestly? I don't believe most of them. People talk. That's what they do. But… actions and words? Those are two different things. People can lie. They can exaggerate. But actions? You see those. And what I've seen from Big Bro lately… It's not nothing, Mom…. Even Enna's part of his victims now…" she mumbled at the end.
"You really need to talk so sense into him, Mom."
Reina's voice was sharp, almost desperate now. But Krista, after a brief pause, simply let out a soft sigh and offered a small shrug.
"Regarding that… I don't think we can stop your brother anymore."
Reina blinked, confused by the unusually resigned tone in her mother's voice.
"What do you an?"
Krista folded her arms, her eyes wandering toward the tall windows that overlooked the courtyard. The morning light filtered through, softening the tension on her face.
"I an he's already made up his mind. In fact, he told directly—he said he plans to marry them all."
The silence that followed was imdiate and jarring.
"…E-Excuse ?" Reina stamred, completely caught off guard. "Marry? What?"
Krista tilted her head slightly as if it were the most casual thing in the world.
"The girls in his life. Princess Snow, Lady Rose, and Alice Holloway and your lovely sister in-law Liyana"
"…W-Wait. Back up. You an the Crown Princess Snow? That Lady Rose from House Brilliance the golden child right? And senior A-Alice…. Alice Holloway?" Reina's mouth hung open.
Krista looked over and gave her daughter a patient look.
"Yes. Those three. I thought you were already aware of his relationships with them?"
Reina's brain scrambled for words.
"I-I an I knew he was close to them, but…" She dragged a hand through her hair, flustered. "Like—senior Rose, sure, I get that. She's always been a bit… attached to him, ever since the day I first t her together with big bro…. And even senior Seo—is plausible as they're constantly hovering around each other like magnets. But Snow? And Alice?"
Her voice cracked slightly at the end, more from disbelief than anything else. She rubbed her temples, trying to realign her thoughts.
"I heard the rumors. whispers about Big Bro and the princess all the ti. But I didn't think it was true! And now even senior Alice…..."
Reina's thoughts were a whirlwind.
Her brother.
Her idiot of a brother, declaring marriage to three n four of the most powerful won in the empire.
As ridiculous as it sounded, she had no reason to doubt their mother's words—not with everything she'd witnessed so far.
But amid the chaos in her mind, one particular person's face surfaced through the noise.
Soone who hadn't been ntioned yet, but who surely must be affected more than any of them.
She turned to her mother, voice slightly uncertain.
"What about Sister Liyana? Is she… is she alright with all of this?"
Krista's smile faltered. A shadow passed over her expression.
"…I'm not sure," she admitted after a pause. "The Duke sent us a formal ssage acknowledging Riley's… connections. But as for Liyana herself, I haven't had the chance to speak with her directly. Not yet."
Reina's eyes widened.
"I-I see… Wait." Her brows knit together. "Is that why Sister Liyana suddenly grabbed Big Bro yesterday?"
Krista's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Liyana and Riley were together yesterday?"
Reina nodded slowly, trying to recall the scene more clearly now that she was rethinking everything.
"Yes… From what I rember, Sister Liyana asked Riley out on a date."
Krista blinked.
"A date?"
"Yeah… at least, it looked like a date. They left together. She was holding his arm and everything."
Krista leaned back slightly, her expression pensive.
"Did she look… alright?"
Reina hesitated. Her confidence wavered.
"I thought she did. But now… maybe not? I'm not sure anymore. She smiled, but it felt a bit… off, now that I think about it."
Krista exhaled softly and folded her hands together.
"…We can only hope she's taking it well, then."
For a brief mont, the room fell into a contemplative silence.
Talking about Riley—this version of Riley—was giving them both a headache.
Krista rubbed her temples, trying to center herself. She was about to suggest they drop the subject and return to their day when—
"Milady's."
A calm but firm voice broke the silence. Both won turned to see the head butler, Lorrey, standing just a few steps behind, bowing his head respectfully.
Krista straightened her posture.
"Lorrey? Is sothing the matter?"
He didn't respond imdiately.
His usually composed face was strained with hesitation.
He rubbed his cheek—an uncharacteristic gesture that revealed his discomfort.
"…There are certain guests waiting in the guest room right now," he finally said, slowly.
Krista raised an eyebrow.
"Guests? That's odd. We weren't expecting anyone today. And you already let them in?"
Lorrey winced slightly, as if bracing for a reprimand.
"They weren't exactly people I could turn away, Countess. Especially not with how cold it is outside today."
Krista's eyes narrowed, but her tone remained calm.
"Hm?"
Krista blinked, caught off guard. It was rare—exceptionally rare—to see such hesitation from Lorrey, their ever-reliable, unshakable head butler.
The man prided himself on composure, rarely letting anything breach the calm mask he wore like armor.
So, for him to look genuinely troubled now… it ant sothing was off. Very off.
Reina seed to sense it too.
She exchanged a silent glance with her mother. A quick nod passed between them.
Without saying a word, the two followed Lorrey down the marbled corridor.
The quiet tap of their footsteps echoed faintly against the estate's walls, the cold air laced with the faint scent of pine and old parchnt.
Lorrey led them with practiced grace, though his steps betrayed a hint of unease.
Stopping just outside the guest room, Lorrey raised a gloved hand and knocked politely, his knuckles tapping gently against the carved wood.
He didn't wait for a reply. Slowly, carefully, he pushed the door open.
Krista stepped in first—and the mont she entered, she stopped.
Three figures were seated inside.
They looked perfectly at ease within the grandeur of the guest room, resting atop velvet-cushioned chairs as if they belonged there.
The golden afternoon light filtering through the tall windows bathed the space in a soft glow, and for a fleeting second, it almost felt like a painting—elegant, surreal, and utterly arresting.
Then one of them stood.
The girl closest to the entrance rose gracefully to her feet, her every movent fluid, like a breeze gliding over still water.
Her posture was flawless, regal even, and when she t Krista's gaze, she offered a composed, polite smile.
And Krista… froze.
There was only one thought echoing in her mind:
'Beautiful.'
Not in the casual, passing sense.
No, this young woman was the embodint of beauty—a personification of grace and power.
The flawless complexion, the long snow-white hair cascading past her shoulders like silk, the deep, piercing blue eyes that shimred with cold clarity—she was ethereal.
She didn't even need to speak.
Krista knew.
She knew.
There was only one person in the entire empire who fit such a description so perfectly—only one girl with that noble bearing and chilling yet dignified aura.
"Princess Snow…"
The na left her lips in a breath.
Behind her, Reina's mouth parted slightly in shock. She recognized her too.
"S-Seniors…."
But what startled Krista even more was that the two young won sitting beside the princess were equally striking.
One of them carried a golden, confident glow—her eyes sharp, intelligent, and proud, her long blonde hair tied elegantly behind her back.
The aura she exuded was unmistakable.
Lady Rose Brilliance.
And the other girl, with shimring pink hair and golden eyes that seed to glow in crimson dust, was no less of a presence.
She had a quiet strength about her, and yet a storm rumbled just beneath the surface of her calm expression.
Alice Holloway.
Three nas that anyone in the empire would recognize. Three prodigies. Three powerhouses. And three girls who, by all accounts…
…were romantically involved with her son.
Krista didn't know whether to sigh, laugh, or drop to the floor in disbelief.
She glanced at Reina, who looked as if her soul had just left her body.
And Princess Snow, ever composed, stepped forward with grace and offered a small curtsy, her voice smooth and polite.
"Thank you for receiving us on such short notice, Countess Krista. We hope we're not intruding."
Krista's mind blanked.
Then….
She fainted.
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